


Lost in the Deep End

by eternal_optimist



Series: The Sunrise [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-14
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:48:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22258972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eternal_optimist/pseuds/eternal_optimist
Summary: Killing a Sith Lord is rarely as straightforward as one would think.Anakin would know.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Sheev Palpatine & Anakin Skywalker
Series: The Sunrise [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602301
Comments: 9
Kudos: 141





	Lost in the Deep End

The Chancellor's office rang with the clash of lightsabers as they swung back and forth against each other. Anakin could imagine Master Windu's sharp attacks against Palpatine, hard and relentless and hurried his pace.

He had to stop them before it was too late.

Everything depended on it.

Shock repelled through him when he entered, bodies of Jedi Masters lied at his feet and across the room Master Windu had Palpatine cornered by the window.

The Chancellor was the one who noticed him first.

"Anakin," he said, voice raspy. "I told you it would come to this. I was right, the Jedi are taking over."

Windu aimed his lightsaber at Palpatine. "You old fool. The oppression of the Sith will never return. Your plot to regain control of the Republic is over. You have lost.."

"No! You will die for this." Palpatine fingers reached out and lightning came pouring out of his fingers. Windu blocked it with his saber, visibly straining with the effort.

Palpatine turned to him. "He's a traitor, Anakin."

"He's the traitor! Stop him."

"Come to your senses, boy. The Jedi are in revolt. They will betray you just as they betrayed me."

Master Windu yelled out as he fought to keep his saber up.

"He's lying."

"You're not one of them, Anakin. Don't let him kill me."

Shut up! He wanted them to shut up for one minute so he could concentrate and think.

"Don't listen to him, Anakin!"

"I can't hold it any longer. I am too weak."

Why weren't they _shutting up_?

"Anakin!"

_Anakin._

_Anakin._

The Force was swirling around him, alive and all encompassing, and loud, so loud, too loud.

Why couldn't it be quiet?

_"Ani…"_

_"He's not here, Padmé."_

No!

"I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him."

"Don't."

"Help me!"

The Force rippled and beckoned him deeper into its vortex, The Dark and The Light almost tangible to him in their battle. 

His lashes fluttered, trying to make sense of what was around him.

"Anakin," they both shouted in unison.

"Enough," he roared with a voice that almost wasn't his own, rage and fear and all the emotions he couldn't give a name to mounting up inside him until he was a swirling sandstorm ready to consume.

The lightning stopped and Palpatine fell back, his face a ruined mess as he gasped for breath.

"Help me, my boy. I'm too weak."

Palpatine's voice was pleading, arms outstretched. 

"I can't hold on."

The vortex opened up, ready to swallow him whole.

He swallowed, looking between them, hoping for an epiphany to guide him.

It didn't come.

He was alone in this.

"I'm dying, help me."

What to do? What to do?

_"Ani…"_

Anakin exhaled, made his decision and ignited his lightsaber, swinging it towards Palpatine.

The killing blow didn't land, blocked by the Sith's lightsaber. 

"I'm disappointed." The voice that had been begging only a moment ago was now firm and strong, the eyes a sickly gold that shone under the glow of the sabers. 

Palpatine stood up without much effort, their lightsabers a clash of red against blue.

"Get in line," Anakin said. "You're not the first."

Master Windu made to attack but he was thrown to the side, falling into a heap on the floor.

He made a move forward but Palpatine forced him in a defensive position as Anakin tried to hold his ground.

"All this power, this strength and you would throw it away? For _what?"_

Another strike, this time sharper, this time forcing him a step back.

"Raw untamed potential, potential that the Jedi fear and resent and you choose to fight on their side." Palpatine continued. "I thought you smarter."

No matter how hard Anakin attacked with his lightsaber, hoping to disarm Palpatine, it was a futile effort. Anakin could only spare a passing thought to how the Chancellor could be so good a duelist while maintaining his position as a politician between parries.

"Will you kill me, my boy, execute the Sith Lord without mercy? But how would you able to meet sweet Padmé's eyes, knowing you doomed her to her end?"

He faltered.

Palpatine smiled.

"Tell me, did the child survive in your nightmares or did it follow its mother into the sweet embrace of death?"

"Shut up!" He screamed, and swung his saber only to dodge a move that could have severed his arm.

Again.

"Join me, become my apprentice, Anakin," Palpatine spoke. "And you shall have the power to save your wife, to raise your child, to become more powerful than any Jedi could ever possibly imagine. It's your destiny, I have foreseen it."

He lowered his weapon only an inch.

"And if I don't?"

Palpatine bared his teeth, "you die."

"That doesn't sound very fair," he said with a joviality that he far from felt.

"Insipid words will not help you, my boy."

They helped just fine before, thank you very much. 

Again, Anakin tried to gain ground but Palpatine continuously outmaneuvered him. It left Anakin feeling frustrated and helpless, two things he didn't appreciate at the moment.

"Oh, I could sense Amidala's thoughts, the happiness she felt at her impending motherhood. Such a shame that her own husband doesn't seem to care."

Anakin froze, his breaths echoing in his ears.

How _dare_ he!

Blood boiling in his veins, he charged at him, putting all his weight behind the thrust. Palpatine had to withdraw to evade getting his head chopped off and Anakin smiled viciously. 

Wouldn't it be poetic if the Sith Lord died the same way as his apprentice.

"Yes. I feel your anger. It gives you power, gives you focus. Use it."

He grunted and ducked to get a chance at another thrust but again he failed.

"You're so close. Everything you could _possibly_ want, Anakin, shall be yours. All you have to do is join me and you will be able to save Padmé's life."

"Don't speak her name," he growled. 

"Of course," the smile seemed hideous on the disfigured face. "A Sith guards what is his."

"I am no Sith."

The sabers clashed.

"But you're no Jedi either, are you?"

The next few moment happened far too fast.

Anakin twisted his saber, cutting at Palpatine who met each blow head on until Anakin swung his weapon, seeing an opening, and buried it in the Chancellor's chest.

The Force ebbed and exploded. 

Anakin was flung away, only dimly aware of the noise of glass shattering as his head collided with the wall, fading into unconsciousness, and asking himself what he had done.

It was too late though.

Sheev Palpatine was dead.

* * *

His footsteps were aimless and clumsy with only little muscle control left that he could avoid colliding into someone.

The lower levels of Coruscant were loud and noisy and full to the brim with chatter.

The lower levels were deathly quiet. 

Anakin stopped and leaned against against a metal pillar, allowing its ice cold temperature to cool his skin, a raging headache building up behind his eyes.

He pulled his cloak around him, thankful that it hid his robes and lightsaber thoroughly, its brown colour blending in well enough with the attire of the general populace.

It wouldn't do for anyone to recognise Anakin Skywalker right now.

Not when Anakin was sure that the Coruscant Police Forces were going to sound alarms throughout the planet any minute now. It shouldn't take long to discover the torn office and the corpses of the Jedi Masters and Palpatine. 

He wasn't even sure if Mace Windu was still alive, had fled out as soon as he woke up from unconsciousness without checking.

Some Jedi he was.

But he wasn't a Jedi anymore was he?

He clenched his eyes shut, banishing the thought. He didn't want to think about any of it. He just wanted… 

His eyes went to Republica 500. 

He wanted to go home.

* * *

Captain Typho gave an imperceptible nod when he spotted him, dismissing the Security team to patrol the hallways so Anakin could sneak in without being spotted.

Someday, he'd properly thank the man for all that he'd done for Padmé and him.

The apartment was unusually silent, no sign of Motée or Ellé or the tell-tale shuffle of Threepio around, barren of any light par the little that came from the outside.

A loud intake of breath and he startled as he spotted Padmé lying on one of the sofas that made up her official guest area, eyes closed and fast asleep.

He walked over silently, careful not to rouse her. Her legs weren't on the sofa, and she was twisted in her sleep so that she was resting on her back, a position that Anakin couldn't imagine to be very comfortable. 

He carried her feet and put them on the seat cushion. 

Padmé stirred.

"Who?"

"It's just me," he whispered, hoping to preserve the untouched serenity of the house. 

Padmé sat up with some effort.

"Is everything alright? I thought you were needed at The Temple and wouldn't be back until tomorrow."

He didn't reply, busy as he was with tracing every feature of hers, every mole on her face, every curl of her hair, even the wisps that stood out from the rest.

The lines of exhaustion that her makeup couldn't hide.

_"Save your energy."_

_"I can't."_

Oh, what had he done?

"Ani," Padmé touched his hands. "What's wrong?"

"I…" he began but nothing came out. 

He tried again. "I…"

Palpatine's words were playing like a broken holo on a loop, whispering how he could save her.

But Anakin had killed him and he still didn't know where the danger was coming from or how to protect her or if he was even capable of it and it felt too much for him to bear that his knees buckled and he fell gasping for air at her feet.

"Anakin!" Padmé's voice was anxious and strung tight with panic and he wanted to tell her not to worry, that it was okay but he could only draw a laboured breath and press his forehead to her swollen belly where their baby lay hidden beneath the fabric of her heavy dress.

"I'm sorry," he said, choking on his words. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

His shoulders shook, his tears salty on his lips.

"I killed you. I killed you. I'm sorry."

He was only half aware of Padmé sliding next to him on the floor, brushing the hair from his head and trying to get him to look at her.

But how could he, he killed her and their baby.

"Ani, Ani," she murmured over and over, he thought that she might be crying too.

"I'm sorry," he could only say, pressing her to him, hiding his face in her neck. "I'm so sorry."

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes doing the right thing is the difficult choice but that doesn't mean we give up and don't do it.
> 
> I have no idea what this was, but I found myself writing it down a few days ago so yes, here's an explanation on how Anakin's confrontation with Palpatine went down. Hope you guys enjoyed it and can read the duel without cringing much because writing sword fights/lightsaber fights is NOT my strongest suit


End file.
